United Church can afford to pay abuse victims

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada - On the heels of a proclaimation by a small Catholic order of priests that can't to pay compensation to survivors of residental schools, representatives from the United Church say they're in far better shape to meet their financial obligations.

"It has had an impact on us, and it will continue to have an impact on us," says Rev. Teresa Moysey of the United Church. "But it's not one that's going to finish us, or prevent us from a future."

The United Church was one of four churches that ran residental schools for the Canadian government in the early 1900's. In the years since the schools closed, nearly 10,000 former students have come forward with claims of sexual and physical abuse. The Catholic Oblates ran the bulk of the schools in Manitoba. The Anglican, Presbyterian and United churches ran the rest, meaning they're dealing with fewer claims.

Read the article at CBC NEWS dated Mar 27 2002